High current contact

Abstract

A telescoping contact assembly for high current applications includes a center conductor and a coaxial contact sheath assembly. The contact sheath assembly comprises a plurality of spring-loaded elongated contact fingers arranged about the inner circumference of a cylindrical housing. Each spring is loaded so as to create a spring force directed along the length of each contact finger in an axial direction with respect to the housing. Each contact finger is urged against a surface of the housing at a point of contact offset from the line of action of the spring force, thereby producing a radial force component creating contact pressure between each finger contact and the housing, and between each finger contact and the inserted center conductor.

We claim: 
     
       1. A resilient sliding contact comprising: a cylindrical housing;   a plurality of independently movable contact fingers circumferentially arranged in said housing and adapted for sliding electrical contact with an associated conductor, each of said fingers comprising an end surface and a bottom surface both physically contacting said housing with said end surface and said bottom surface intersecting an an angle less than ninety degrees;   a like number of springs each fixedly attached at one end to one of said contact fingers; and   means connected to said housing for loading said springs to produce a bias force against each of said contact fingers, said bias forces each having a line of action generally parallel to the direction of relative motion between said contact fingers and an associated conductor and urging both of said contact finger end and bottom surfaces against corresponding surfaces of said housing to produce electrical contact therebetween, the point of contact between said finger end surface and said housing being offset from the line of action of said bias forces to produce contact pressure forces perpendicular to said lines of action.   
     
     
       2. A contact as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said fingers comprises a spring seat notch and each of said springs is press fitted into one of said notches. 
     
     
       3. A contact as recited in claim 1 wherein said perpendicular contact pressure forces urges said finger against said associated conductor. 
     
     
       4. A contact as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said fingers comprises an aperture therethrough and said contact comprises a stabilizer ring extending through all of said apertures. 
     
     
       5. A resilient sliding contact comprising: a housing;   a plurality of independently movable contact fingers arranged in said housing and adapted for sliding electrical contact with an associated conductor, each of said fingers comprising an end surface and a bottom surface both physically contacting said housing with said end and bottom surfaces being configured such that said surfaces extend away from each other at an angle less than ninety degrees; and   individual spring means each acting upon one of said contact fingers for producing bias forces against each of said contact fingers, said bias forces biasing said contact fingers against both said housing and said associated conductor.   
     
     
       6. A contact as recited in claim 5 wherein each of said fingers comprises an aperture therethrough and said contact comprises a stabilizer ring extending through all of said apertures. 
     
     
       7. A contact as recited in claim 5 wherein said individual spring means comprise a plurality of individual, independent springs. 
     
     
       8. A contact as recited in claim 7 wherein said springs are compression springs fixedly attached to each of said contact fingers. 
     
     
       9. A contact as recited in claim 7 including means connected to said housing for loading said springs to produce said bias forces.